Poll: Can best Tony Yoka become a top 3 heavyweight ?

[DrDuke]

Yoka successfully goes to a cathegory "when an Olympic champion fails in the pros".

[cormack]

Da man!

yoka needs to get back on the eggs in order to compete at the top .

I think the damage (psychologically) is done Steve. I might be reading too much into it, but last night he looked almost fearful when shots were landing on him, and we are not exactly talking high volume here. He could have had Takem at the end of his long rangy jab all night, using his height, reach and legs to control the old fella.
We will have to wait and see if Yoka fights again. It most likely will be for the money because his heart didn't seem to be in it at all. Its a tough career comeback from being dominated by an aged gate keeper.

have to agree and add that he wasnt really elite anyway plus the ?? around peds was always going to be there .

[KiwiRider]

yoka needs to get back on the eggs in order to compete at the top .

I think the damage (psychologically) is done Steve. I might be reading too much into it, but last night he looked almost fearful when shots were landing on him, and we are not exactly talking high volume here. He could have had Takem at the end of his long rangy jab all night, using his height, reach and legs to control the old fella.
We will have to wait and see if Yoka fights again. It most likely will be for the money because his heart didn't seem to be in it at all. Its a tough career comeback from being dominated by an aged gate keeper.

have to agree and add that he wasnt really elite anyway plus the ?? around peds was always going to be there .

On paper he is an Olympic gold medalist, and beat Joe Joyce.
Of course that was the judge's opinions. He did look good when he first turned pro, of course his physical attributes are very decent, the wingspan on the guy is huge.
I did initially have him on my prospect list. Then there was the refusing drug tests, the lay off, and then the next time I saw him fight it was like a different bloke

[sturm vogel]

Definetly a top 100.

[oogiebe]

Definetly a top 100.

[Lackeos]

Having earned an Super Heavyweight Olympic gold medal at age 24, and additionally a World Amateur gold medal at age 23, you'd suspect that he's pretty likely to reach a top 5 spot in the professionals. But, short-term or long-term, he has a lot of other dudes to contend with for those spots.

Some of Yoka's chief future competition under 31 years old include Joshua (30), Ruiz (30), Kownacki (30), Parker (27), Hrgovic (27), Hughie (25), Ejagba (25), Dubois (22), Kabayel (27), and Milas (24). Against that competition, plus maybe an old dude that's still around or a great young dude in the future, it's hard to believe Yoka can't eventually hit top 7.

we only got 2 of those dudes in the top 10 now, and they're both 33

meanwhile today, 43 year old takam beats up yoka like a kid. 38 year old joyce battered parker. nearly 40 year old helenius bust up kownacki twice. hughie and kabayel have virtually done nothing in a good number of years. milas gone quiet since his loss to yoke. i dont think there's any top 10 heavy who is in their 20s.

age is a factor, but so many guys reach a high point, and then right when you think their career should take off they fall of or stagnate. it doesnt work out perfectly

the big fight in the division now would be between two 36 year olds

This is a pretty unclear point in the division. Lots of old dudes who are eventually gonna clear out. A lot of the approximately 29-year-old fighters are floundering. No one is really distinguishing themselves as who's gonna be the guy once Joshua and Ruiz's age group is gone. Right now, it's looking like Dubois and Anderson could be the most substantial options for a long-running champ. Parker, Sanchez, Bakole, Ajagba, Hrgovic, Gassiev, Yoka are still in that cloud of top 25, but few are emphatically passing their tests. Franklin still getting underrated by both the average poster and the computerized formula. Justis Huni in the mix long term. But, in conclusion, this age group isn't seeming to offer up a new divisional conqueror based on the current state (things can always continue shifting).